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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
DMC-FZ200 with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD Full-Range Bright Aperture and Fast Shutter Speed - Black
LUMIX's First 25-600mm Lens with Full-Range F2.8 Aperture
Experience LUMIX's first compact digital camera to reach a full range F2.8 bright aperture in a 600mm lens whose quick shutter speed lets you capture moving subjects even at long distances. At the heart of this lens is high-quality LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT optical technology that allows the 25mm ultra wide-angle lens to reach optical brightness across a full 24x zoom range (35mm camera equivalent: 25-600mm). This camera lens enhances all kinds of shooting situations from photographing people indoors to shooting a large structure or a sweeping landscape. The integration of 5 aspherical lenses and 3 ED lenses makes this happen. Its high precision correction performance prevents image distortion.
More Creative Controls & Photo Styles Tell Your Photographic Story
Star Effect, 1of 8 new creative controls that will elevate your photographic journey.
Want a digital camera that creates expressive, telling and fun scenes? With the FZ200 digital compact camera, choose from among 8 new and 6 original creative control effects as you play with a range from Toy Effect to Star Filter to Impressive Art. Add an artistic touch in Photo Style to your pictures and videos with 6 customizable color types, like Vivid. And get more shooting control with the new Panorama Shot, the Intelligent Handheld Night Shot (iA Mode generates an illuminated night scene), and the White Balance Bracket function which shoots 3 consecutive photos while adjusting the white balance. You can even produce 3D Images with the LUMIX FZ200 digital camera. For advanced photographers, use the manual control mode for even greater creative license.
Shoot like a Pro with these Professional-Grade Control Features that come with the LUMIX FZ200 Digital Camera
Go after those pictures-in-the-making with Panasonic's new 12.1MP High Sensitivity MOS Sensor and Venus Engine.
A newly developed 12.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS sensor and high performance image processing LSI Venus Engine provide high speed response, high sensitivity recording and superb image quality to capture even the most fleeting photo opportunities. The ratio of the MOS sensor and the Intelligent Noise Reduction system in the Venus Engine adjusts photos and videos taken in sensitive areas and creates clear, crisp imagery. For low-lit situations, the FZ200 digital camera's multi-process Noise Reduction System produces dramatically clear photos and videos. Intelligent HDR (High Dynamic Range) in the iA Mode overlays several still pictures consecutively shot at different exposure levels and produces a single composite picture avoiding over or under exposure.
Take a Picture and Record It in Full 1080/60p HD with 24x Zoom
All-at-once: Shoot and Record in Full HD with Photo Style, Creative Video, MP4, and 3D.
The Motion Picture designated button, on the FZ200 digital camera, lets you record while taking photos without having to switch modes. Make videos in full HD 1,920x1,080 60p in both AVCHD Progressive (MPEG-4) and MP4 formats. The powerful 24x optical zoom, with its redesigned side lever for easier zooming access, captures highly natural expressions and fast-moving sports scenes that the naked eye may miss. Play it back in dramatic slow motion and see the difference. Creative Control and Photo Style render highly unique expressions by coordinating colors to your subject and its surroundings. The digital camera's Creative Video Mode lets you adjust the shutter speed and aperture any way you like when shooting videos.
The New Ultimate Ergonomic Hand and Zooming Control with the FZ200 Digital Camera
The LUMIX FZ200's camera body has been designed as a full-fledged shooting style digital compact camera with definitive controllability. The side lever has not only been redesigned, it is now easier to use as it is conveniently located giving you smoother zooming control. On this point and shoot camera, the focus can also be easily changed with this lever, allowing you the photographer to concentrate on shutter operation so you can to catch that perfect photographic moment.
Snap in Under a Second with the FZ200 Digital Camera
Never miss a shot: Quick start-up time and exclusive Light Speed Auto Focus.
The FZ200 digital camera allows for you to click in the moment with its quick start-up time of approx. 0.95 sec. and Light Speed Auto Focus. Get 12 fps full resolution photographs with the 12.1-megapixel MOS sensor as you take a series of shots. Snap consecutively at approx. 5.5 fps/2 fps with Auto Focus Tracking. And the newly added focus mode AF Flexible resets automatically when your subject moves. Even high-speed burst shooting is possible with the electronic shutter. In Intelligent Burst Shooting, the frame rate sets according to the subject's movement. And faster data transfer is possible as the DMC-FZ200 compact digital camera is compatible with the Ultra High Speed-I standard SDHC/SDXC Memory Card.
Advanced Technology Reduces Glare and Minimizes Handshaking
LUMIX advanced technology such as Nano Surface Coating and O.I.S. produces picture perfect photos.
Panasonic's Nano Surface Coating technology minimizes light reflection within the entire zoom range (380nm-780nm) thus reducing glare and producing super clear pictures. The LUMIX FZ200 camera's powerful 24x optical zoom can be increased to the 48x equivalent with the Intelligent Zoom function, taking advantage of its Intelligent Resolution technology which brings images to life. The digital camera's POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) minimizes blur, even when zoomed, and Active Mode effectively suppresses handshake vibrations in both still picture taking and video recording.
A Camera that is So Easy to Use
Shooting subjects on-the-go under strong sunlight is easy thanks to a minimized screen freeze and the newly developed 0.2-inch EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) with a 100% field-of-vision that adds high resolution to every scene. With an LCD that rotates 180° on its side and tilts 270° up and down, dynamic, artistic framing is possible with the FZ200 digital camera. Prop it on a tripod and use Auto Focus. In iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode, the camera does all the work, leaving you free to compose shots and capture moments in both photo and video recording. In iA Plus Mode, you have a range of creative settings from Motion Deblur to Scene Detection to much more.
A LUMIX Camera that Makes Sharing Your Photos With Your Social Media Circles Easy
Make sure your images make the social circles with easy uploading to Facebook and YouTube.
With the LUMIX FZ200 digital camera, upload photos and videos instantly to Facebook and videos to YouTube sharing the URL with family and friends via email. Photos or videos recorded in AVCHD on the SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Cards are easy to view on a Panasonic VIERA TV. Simply insert the card into the SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card slot in a VIERA TV or DIGA Blu-ray Disc player and view your content. You can also use an optional HDMI mini cable to export your images onto the VIERA Link. Viewing images taken in the 3D Photo Mode via the 3D VIERA TV will offer an exciting experience.
Accessorize Away with these Great LUMIX Products
Lightweight and Compact External Flash DMW-FL220
Covers a 24mm wide angle view and synchronizes with the camera's flash to reduce red-eye.
Covers a 24mm wide angle view and synchronizes with the camera's flash to reduce red-eye.
Tele Conversion Lens DMW-LT55 (requires Lens Adaptor DMW-LA5)
Shoots at 1.7x magnification and F3.7 brightness. It is almost half the size and less heavy than the 1.5x tele conversion lens.
Shoots at 1.7x magnification and F3.7 brightness. It is almost half the size and less heavy than the 1.5x tele conversion lens.
Dynamic Close-up Lens DMW-LC55 (requires Lens Adaptor DMW-LA5)
Prevents blurring with a 2-lens feature that magnifies 3-times that of a typical telephoto setting in Macro Mode. Adjust your zooming degree.
Prevents blurring with a 2-lens feature that magnifies 3-times that of a typical telephoto setting in Macro Mode. Adjust your zooming degree.
3-step ND Filter DMW-LND52
Reduces your light intensity when shooting with a fully open aperture, letting you use a slow shutter speed even in outdoor scenes.
Reduces your light intensity when shooting with a fully open aperture, letting you use a slow shutter speed even in outdoor scenes.
Panasonic Point and Shoot Camera Comparison Chart
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 125.2 x 86.6 x 110.2 mm / (4.93 x 3.41 x 4.34 inch) | 110.5 x 67.1 x 45.6 mm / (4.35 x 2.64 x 1.80 inch) | 120.3 x 80.8 x 91.9 mm / (4.74 x 3.18 x 3.62 inch) | 104.9 x 58.9 x 28.2 mm / (4.13 x 2.32 x 1.11 inch) |
| Camera Effective Pixels | 12.1 Megapixels | 10.1 Megapixels | 16.1 Megapixels | 14.1 Megapixels |
Optical Zoom  | 24x | 3.8x | 24x | 20x |
| Focal Length | f=4.5 - 108mm (25 - 600mm in 35mm equiv.) / (28 - 672mm in 35mm equiv. in video recording) | f=4.7 - 17.7mm (24 - 90mm in 35mm equiv.) | f=4.5 - 108mm (25 - 600mm in 35mm equiv.) / (28 - 672mm in 35mm equiv. in video recording) | f=4.3 - 86.0mm (24 - 480mm in 35mm equiv.) / (28-560mm in 35mm equiv. in video recording) |
| Lens | LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT (Nano Surface Coating) / 14 elements in 11 groups / (5 Aspherical Lenses / 9 Aspherical surfaces / 3 ED Lenses / 1 Nano Surface Coating Lens) | LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMILUX / 11 elements in 10 groups / (5 Aspherical Lenses / 9 Aspherical surfaces / 2 ED Lenses(1 Aspherical ED lens) / 1 Nano surface Coating Lens) | LEICA DC VARIO- ELMARIT / 14 elements in 10 groups / (2 Aspherical Lenses / 3 Aspherical Surfaces / 3 ED Lenses / 1 Nano Surface Coating Lens) | LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR / 12 elements in 10 groups / (3 Aspherical Lenses / 6 Aspherical surfaces / 2 ED Lenses) |
| Optical Image Stabilizer | Power O.I.S. (On with Active Mode(only for Video) / Off) | Power O.I.S. (On/Off) | Power O.I.S. (On with Active Mode(only for Video) / Off) | Power O.I.S. (On with Active Mode(only for motion picture) / Off) |
| Focusing Area | Normal: Wide 30 cm - infinity / Tele 200 cm - infinity / AF Macro / MF / Intelligent AUTO/ motion picture: Wide 1 cm - infinity / Tele 100cm - infinity | Normal: Wide 50 cm - infinity / AF Macro / MF / Intelligent AUTO / motion picture: Wide 1 cm - infinity /Tele 30cm - infinity | Normal: Wide 30 cm - infinity / Tele 200 cm - infinity / AF Macro / MF / Intelligent AUTO/ motion picture: Wide 1 cm - infinity / Tele 100cm - infinity | Normal: Wide 50 cm - infinity / Tele 200 cm - infinity / Macro / Intelligent AUTO/ motion picture: Wide 3 cm - infinity / Tele 100cm - infinity |
| Creative Control Mode | Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Color | Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Color, Radial Defocus, Smooth Defocus | Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Color | Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, High Dynamic, Toy Effect, Miniature, Soft Focus |
| Still Image Scene Mode | Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Panorama Shot, Sports, Panning, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, / Handheld Night Shot, HDR, Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Glass Through, 3D photo | Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Panorama shot, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Handheld Night Shot, HDR, Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, Glass Through, 3D Photo | Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Panorama Shot, Sports, Panning, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, / Handheld Night Shot, HDR, Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Glass Through, 3D Photo | Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Panorama Shot, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Hand Held Night Shot, HDR, Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Glass Through, Underwater, High Speed Video |
| Continuous Shooting Mode | Full- Resolution Image: 12 frames/sec Max. 12 images / with AF Tracking: 5.5 frames/sec, 2 frames/sec / Intelligent Burst Shooting / High- speed Burst: approx. 60 frames/sec (recorded in 2.5M) / approx. 40 frames/sec (recorded in 5M) | Full- Resolution Image: 11 frames/sec Max. 12 images / with AF Tracking: 5 frames/sec, 2 frames/sec / High- speed Burst: approx. 60 frames/sec (recorded in 2.5M) / approx. 40 frames/sec (recorded in 5M) | Full- Resolution Image: 10 frames/sec Max. 3 images / with AF Tracking: 5 frames/sec, 2 frames/sec | Full- Resolution Image: 10 frames/sec Max. 10 images / with AF Tracking: 5 frames/sec, 2 frames/sec Max. 100 images / Intelligent Burst Shooting / High- speed Burst: approx. 40 frames/sec (recorded in 5M) / approx. 60 frames/sec (recorded in 2.5M) |
| Motion Picture Recording | [HD Video] 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60p (PSH: 28Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60i (FSH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 60p (SH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30 fps (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / [STD Video] 640 x 480 pixels, 30fps (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / [High Speed Video] 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps (MP4) (Sensor Output is 120fps) / 640 x 480 pixels, 30fps (MP4) (Sensor Output is 240fps) | [HD Video] 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60p (PSH: 28Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60i (FSH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 60p(SH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 60fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30 fps (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 30fps (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / [STD Video] 640 x 480 pixels, 30fps (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / [Hi Speed Video] 1280 x 720 pixels, 30fps (MP4) (Sensor Output is 120fps) | [HD Video] / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60i (FSH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 60p (SH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30fps (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 30fps (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) / [STD Video] / 640 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 30fps) | [HD Video] 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60p (GPH: 28Mbps, PSH: 28Mbps / AVCHD) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60i (GFS: 17Mbps, FSH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 60p(GS: 17Mbps, SH: 17Mbps / AVCHD) / 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30 fps (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) / 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) / [STD Video] 640 x 480 pixels, 30fps (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) / [High Speed Video] 320 x 240 pixels, 220fps (Motion JPEG) |
| Still Picture Recording | [1:1] / 2992 x 2992 (9M) / 2448 x 2448 (6M EZ) / 1920 x 1920(3.5M EZ) / 1536 x 1536(2.5M EZ) / 480 x 480(0.2M EZ) / [4:3] / 4000 x 3000 (12M) / 3264 x 2448 (8M EZ) / 2560 x 1920 (5M EZ) / 2048 x 1536 (3M EZ) / 1600 x 1200 (2M EZ) / 640 x 480 (0.3M EZ) / [3:2] / 4000 x 2672 (10.5M) / 3264 x 2176 (7M EZ) / 2560 x 1712 (4.5M EZ) / 2048 x 1360 (2.5M EZ) / 640 x 424 (0.3M EZ) / [16:9] / 4000 x 2248 (9M) / 3264 x 1840 (6M EZ) / 2560 x 1440(3.5M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (2M EZ) / 640 x 360 (0.2M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (3D) | [1:1] 2736 x 2736 (7.5M) / 2304 x 2304 (5.5M EZ)/ 1920 x 1920 (3.5M EZ) / 1536 x 1536 (2.5M EZ) / 480 x 480 (0.2M EZ) / [4:3] 3648 x 2736 (10M) / 3072 x 2304 (7M EZ) / 2560 x 1920 (5M EZ) / 2048 x 1536 (3M EZ) / 1600 x 1200 (2M EZ) / 640 x 480 (0.3M EZ) / [3:2] 3776 x 2520 (9.5M) / 3168 x 2112 (6.5M EZ) / 2656 x 1768 (4.5M EZ)/ 2112 x 1408 (3M EZ) / 2048 x 1360 (2.5M EZ) / 640 x 424 (0.3M EZ) / [16:9] 3968 x 2232 (9M) / 3228 x 1872 (6M EZ) / 2784 x 1588 (4.5M EZ)/ 2208 x 1248 (2.5M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (2M EZ) / 640 x 360 (0.2M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (3D) | [1:1] / 3456 x 3456 (12M) / 2736 x 2736 (7.5M EZ) / 2304 x 2304 (5.5M EZ) / 1920 x 1920 (3.5M EZ) / 1536 x 1536 (2.5M EZ) / 480 x 480 (0.2M EZ) / [4:3] / 4608 x 3456 (16M) / 3648 x 2736 (10M EZ) / 3072 x 2304 (7M EZ) / 2560 x 1920 (5M EZ) / 2048 x 1536 (3M EZ) / 640 x 480 (0.3M EZ) / [3:2] / 4608 x 3072 (14M) / 3648 x 2432 (9M EZ) / 3072 x 2048 (6M EZ) / 2560 x 1712 (4.5M EZ) / 2048 x 1360 (2.5M EZ) / 640 x 424 (0.3M EZ) / [16:9] / 4608 x 2592 (12M) / 3648 x 2056 (7.5M EZ) / 3072 x 1728 (5.5M EZ) / 2560 x 1440 (3.5M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (2M EZ) / 640 x 360 (0.2M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (3D) | [1:1] 3232x3232 (10.5M) / 2736x2736 (7.5M EZ) / 2304x2304 (5.5M EZ)/ 1920x1920 (3.5M EZ) / 1536 x 1536 (2.5M EZ) / 480 x 480 (0.2M EZ) / [4:3] 4320 x 3240 (14M) / 3648 x 2736 (10M EZ) / 3072 x 2304 (7M EZ)/ 2560 x 1920 (5M EZ) / 2048 x 1536 (3M EZ) / 640 x 480 (0.3M EZ) / [3:2] 4320 x 2880 (12.5M) / 3648 x 2432 (9M EZ) / 3072 x 2048 (6M EZ)/ 2560 x 1712 (4.5M EZ) / 2048 x 1360 (2.5M EZ) / 640 x 424 (0.3M EZ) / [16:9] 4320 x 2432 (10.5M) / 3648 x 2056 (7.5M EZ) / 3072 x 1728 (5.5M EZ)2560 x 1440 (3.5M EZ) / 1920 x 1080 (2M EZ) / 640 x 360 (0.2M EZ) |
| Digital Red Eye Correction (Red-Eye Removal) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes |
Product Description
Panasonic DMC-FZ200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom - Black.What's in the box: Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Digital Camera, Li-ion Battery Pack, Battery Charger, USB Cable, Shoulder Strap, CD-ROM, Lens Cap, Lens Cap String, Lens Hood and One Year Limited Warranty.
Available Warranties for This Item
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
295 of 297 people found the following review helpful
By Greggy
Amazon Verified Purchase
Bottom line:
This is the best combination of features and image quality I have found. I gave the camera 5 stars because it is the best Super Zoom I have found so far and I don't mean to imply it is better than any other class of camera. It is not cheap but is well worth the $509 I paid for it. It is a real keeper. You can read a good professional review at [...][UPDATE 10/11/12 I guess they don't allow the link so simply Google ePhotoZine Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Digital Camera Review and you should get to it.]I have taken a couple hundred photos with the FZ 200 in the last couple of weeks and found this to be the camera I have been looking for. It will be more than a couple of years before I feel the need to upgrade again.
I compared the FZ200 with the following cameras I have used:
1) Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28
2) Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ100
3) Canon SX40
4) Canon Rebel T3i Not really a fair comparison but used it as a high water mark for the FZ200 to aim for.
Now for what I like about the FZ 200:
1) The 25 to 600mm f2.8 Leica lens: I find that the 24x lens enough reach for my needs. I found no aberrations from the lens. Maybe you could find some with instruments but I couldn't find any. Just as important is the f2.8 across the entire focal length. It allows you to go out to 600mm and take sharp subject and blurred background. It also helps with low light shots and keeping the iso lower.
2) Photo quality: Color saturation was very good as was sharpness so photos seemed natural. It is as good or better than the other digital cameras I have used. One reviewer said he saw a blue tint on outdoor pictures and a red tint in flash pictures. I saw none of that but I did have my camera set to scenery when taking outdoor pictures so maybe there was a white balance shift with that function. You can see photo examples in the review mentioned above.
3) Burst Speed: It's 12 frames per second burst is very fast but I make more use of the 5.5 fps. At 5.5 fps the specs say it goes to 200 pictures at one time but I haven't gone that far yet.
4) Low light performance: It has really improved. The photos I took in a dimly lit room turned out surprisingly well. It seems like it sees about as well as I do in low light. Naturally, noise gets worse as the iso goes up but even at iso 1600 the pics are kind of OK if you don't view over 8 x 10. I now take indoor pictures without flash most of the time with very good results.
5) Design: It feels really good in my hands. It has room for all of my fingers and not at all unstable.
6) Video: If you like video you will love this camera. It is so much better than cameras like the Canon SX40. Lots of options up to full 1080P 60 fps. Focus is quick and accurate. Zoom is smooth, quiet and the stabilization makes hand held scenes very steady. Unless you are a serious cinematographer you will have no need for a dedicated video camera. In MP4 it is limited to 30 minute scenes but you can go to 4 hours AVCHD. It even has a 3D mode but I haven't used it.
7) Viewfinder: The viewfinder resolution is excellent giving a very clear view for composition. I wear reading glasses so a good viewfinder is important.
8) Tons of cool features I haven't had a chance to use yet.
What I don't like:
1) I wish it cost less.
If your interested in my camera experience:
I am an amateur but have been interested in photography for many years. I bought my first SLR in the 60's and my first digital camera (1MP) in 1997 and have been purchasing a new digital about every other year since then. My first Panasonic was the Lumix DMC FZ28 which I found to be the best for its time and still use it today. I then purchased the Pansonic Lumix DMC - FZ100 because of the great experience with the FZ28 but picture quality was a disappointment. I decided I needed to get a better camera so I purchased the 12MP Canon SX40HS because of the longer lens but ended up returning it. It wasn't a bad camera but I found that the image stabilization broke down at maximum focal length unless I could keep the shutter speed very fast. The pictures were sharp but colors a little less saturated than I like and the body construction feeling less sturdy than the Panasonic. I checked out the Panasonic FZ 150 because of all the great reviews and decided to buy it but held off when I heard about a new Panasonic coming out in August. The FZ 200 cost a little more than FZ 150 but I think it is well worth it. My wife has a DSLR 18MP Canon Rebel T3i and we have taken the same shot and compared the photos. They are very similar with the T3i better in resolution as expected due to the much large sensor which also makes it much better in low light.
Why a Super Zoom:
If this is the first time you are considering a super zoom it may be useful to know why I bought one when we have a perfectly good DSLR. For quick snaps we have a pretty pocket camera or we use the 8 MP phone camera. They are OK but lack flexibility. DSLRs are high quality but to travel with them, even on a day trip we need to carry a significant camera bag to carry the camera and a couple of lenses. Forget a long telephoto, they are too expensive (Canon 600mm cost about $13K) and too heavy (unless you are a pro and then I don't think you are reading my review). There is a group of moderate zoom cameras that are a little too big to slip in a pocket but smaller and less zoom than the super zoom. My thinking is that if it doesn't fit in my pocket I want all the zoom I need. A super zoom like the FZ200 gives you the flexibility to take pictures of people grinning on couches to birds in a tree across a field. For travel, the zoom and choice from point and shoot to full manual in a compact package makes it the best travel camera possible.
I hope this review proves useful. I always read reviews before I buy and I wanted to give back.
This is the best combination of features and image quality I have found. I gave the camera 5 stars because it is the best Super Zoom I have found so far and I don't mean to imply it is better than any other class of camera. It is not cheap but is well worth the $509 I paid for it. It is a real keeper. You can read a good professional review at [...][UPDATE 10/11/12 I guess they don't allow the link so simply Google ePhotoZine Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Digital Camera Review and you should get to it.]I have taken a couple hundred photos with the FZ 200 in the last couple of weeks and found this to be the camera I have been looking for. It will be more than a couple of years before I feel the need to upgrade again.
I compared the FZ200 with the following cameras I have used:
1) Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ28
2) Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ100
3) Canon SX40
4) Canon Rebel T3i Not really a fair comparison but used it as a high water mark for the FZ200 to aim for.
Now for what I like about the FZ 200:
1) The 25 to 600mm f2.8 Leica lens: I find that the 24x lens enough reach for my needs. I found no aberrations from the lens. Maybe you could find some with instruments but I couldn't find any. Just as important is the f2.8 across the entire focal length. It allows you to go out to 600mm and take sharp subject and blurred background. It also helps with low light shots and keeping the iso lower.
2) Photo quality: Color saturation was very good as was sharpness so photos seemed natural. It is as good or better than the other digital cameras I have used. One reviewer said he saw a blue tint on outdoor pictures and a red tint in flash pictures. I saw none of that but I did have my camera set to scenery when taking outdoor pictures so maybe there was a white balance shift with that function. You can see photo examples in the review mentioned above.
3) Burst Speed: It's 12 frames per second burst is very fast but I make more use of the 5.5 fps. At 5.5 fps the specs say it goes to 200 pictures at one time but I haven't gone that far yet.
4) Low light performance: It has really improved. The photos I took in a dimly lit room turned out surprisingly well. It seems like it sees about as well as I do in low light. Naturally, noise gets worse as the iso goes up but even at iso 1600 the pics are kind of OK if you don't view over 8 x 10. I now take indoor pictures without flash most of the time with very good results.
5) Design: It feels really good in my hands. It has room for all of my fingers and not at all unstable.
6) Video: If you like video you will love this camera. It is so much better than cameras like the Canon SX40. Lots of options up to full 1080P 60 fps. Focus is quick and accurate. Zoom is smooth, quiet and the stabilization makes hand held scenes very steady. Unless you are a serious cinematographer you will have no need for a dedicated video camera. In MP4 it is limited to 30 minute scenes but you can go to 4 hours AVCHD. It even has a 3D mode but I haven't used it.
7) Viewfinder: The viewfinder resolution is excellent giving a very clear view for composition. I wear reading glasses so a good viewfinder is important.
8) Tons of cool features I haven't had a chance to use yet.
What I don't like:
1) I wish it cost less.
If your interested in my camera experience:
I am an amateur but have been interested in photography for many years. I bought my first SLR in the 60's and my first digital camera (1MP) in 1997 and have been purchasing a new digital about every other year since then. My first Panasonic was the Lumix DMC FZ28 which I found to be the best for its time and still use it today. I then purchased the Pansonic Lumix DMC - FZ100 because of the great experience with the FZ28 but picture quality was a disappointment. I decided I needed to get a better camera so I purchased the 12MP Canon SX40HS because of the longer lens but ended up returning it. It wasn't a bad camera but I found that the image stabilization broke down at maximum focal length unless I could keep the shutter speed very fast. The pictures were sharp but colors a little less saturated than I like and the body construction feeling less sturdy than the Panasonic. I checked out the Panasonic FZ 150 because of all the great reviews and decided to buy it but held off when I heard about a new Panasonic coming out in August. The FZ 200 cost a little more than FZ 150 but I think it is well worth it. My wife has a DSLR 18MP Canon Rebel T3i and we have taken the same shot and compared the photos. They are very similar with the T3i better in resolution as expected due to the much large sensor which also makes it much better in low light.
Why a Super Zoom:
If this is the first time you are considering a super zoom it may be useful to know why I bought one when we have a perfectly good DSLR. For quick snaps we have a pretty pocket camera or we use the 8 MP phone camera. They are OK but lack flexibility. DSLRs are high quality but to travel with them, even on a day trip we need to carry a significant camera bag to carry the camera and a couple of lenses. Forget a long telephoto, they are too expensive (Canon 600mm cost about $13K) and too heavy (unless you are a pro and then I don't think you are reading my review). There is a group of moderate zoom cameras that are a little too big to slip in a pocket but smaller and less zoom than the super zoom. My thinking is that if it doesn't fit in my pocket I want all the zoom I need. A super zoom like the FZ200 gives you the flexibility to take pictures of people grinning on couches to birds in a tree across a field. For travel, the zoom and choice from point and shoot to full manual in a compact package makes it the best travel camera possible.
I hope this review proves useful. I always read reviews before I buy and I wanted to give back.
239 of 247 people found the following review helpful
By George Burke
Amazon Verified Purchase
I've only had it about 24 hours, but my first impressions are very favorable. I pre-ordered my Panasonic FZ200 from Amazon last week. Later I heard it was going to begin shipping on Monday, August 27th. To my pleasant surprise, the camera showed up yesterday, on Monday, August 27th. (Gotta love Amazon.) I played with the various controls and read the manual last night and spent a couple of hours shooting with it today.
Some background: Both my wife and I are long time Canon DSLR photographers. I am in the printing business and have been using Photoshop since version 2.5 almost 20 years ago. We are serious amateurs, not professional photographers, but we know our way around digital cameras and the digital darkroom. We compete in various photo competitions all over the world. Either with electronic images or prints. Our maximum print size is 12" x 18". Except for action shots, we shoot RAW exclusively.
We are both in our mid 70's and lugging around our Canon 40Ds with 28-300mm lens seem to get heavier every day. The specs on the FX200 are so spectacular that I wondered if it could be a replacement for our heavy, and somewhat obsolete, Canon gear. I frankly didn't expect the FZ200 to be as good as our Canon gear. Instead, my question was "is it good enough" for us to continue to be competitive in photo competitions. To my pleasant surprise, my initial reaction is yes.
We live in Florida a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We went to the beach today and took along one of our Canon 40Ds and the FZ200. We shot the same thing under similar conditions. The Canon shot only RAW and the FZ shot BOTH taw and jpeg. I haven't figured out how to use the Panasonic RAW software yet, so we ended up comparing Canon raw with FZ high quality jpegs.
When viewed "right out of the camera" on my 27" color calibrated iMac, the images look virtually identical. Needless to say, I am very impressed.
The FZ has a lot of special features and functions I haven't looked at yet, and maybe never will since I am so conversant in Photoshop I really don't need the camera to add saturation, convert to B&W, etc. I am totally unfamiliar with digital video, so it will be a while (if ever), before I get around to checking it out on the FZ.
The camera isn't perfect. Here are several things I'm not too fond of.
* The menu system is quite complex and various buttons and wheels access different parts of it. Tip: Put the camera in Manual (M) before going to the menu system. This is the only setting that shows ALL the possible menu settings according to Panasonic tech support.
* The user manual on the CD seems to be for a different camera than the FZ200. Either that or, the final version of the camera doesn't match an earlier version of the documentation.
* Worse of all, it takes 45 arrow and/or button clicks to perform the "Format card" function in the camera. (I counted them.) I talked to two different Panasonic tech support people to see if there was an easier way. They both confirmed that there wasn't. You won't find it in your user manual, so here is how to format your SD card.
* Set the mode to manual. Then click the "Menu/Set" button in the center of the arrow keys. Then hit the left arrow key to select the camera icon.
* The click the down arrow key two times to get the the settings (looks like a wrench.)
* Then click the right arrow key to go "Clock Set." Notice that the top right corner shows that you are on page one of 8 setting page. Format is on page 7. Unfortunately, you cannot access the page numbers and right click to advance to the next page.
Instead you have to click the down arrow and scroll, completely through each page to advance to the next page. It takes 43 down arrow clicks to get to format. (I counted them.) BE CAREFUL. Be sure to hit the right arrow key when you reach format. I hit the "menu/Set" button and had to start all over again.
Formatting an SD card is a real pain, but that is really the only fault I can find so far with this camera. Hopefully, Panasonic will fix this is an firmware upgrade-especially as they tell you in their manual not to format the card in your computer but instead do it in the camera. This is good advise, but a nuisance to do.
To end on a positive note, I'm going to continue to play around with this camera, but I feel I have already proven to myself that this camera is fully able to replace our Canon 40Ds for our intended use. Try it. I think you will like it too. (I don't work for Panasonic or Amazon.)
Some background: Both my wife and I are long time Canon DSLR photographers. I am in the printing business and have been using Photoshop since version 2.5 almost 20 years ago. We are serious amateurs, not professional photographers, but we know our way around digital cameras and the digital darkroom. We compete in various photo competitions all over the world. Either with electronic images or prints. Our maximum print size is 12" x 18". Except for action shots, we shoot RAW exclusively.
We are both in our mid 70's and lugging around our Canon 40Ds with 28-300mm lens seem to get heavier every day. The specs on the FX200 are so spectacular that I wondered if it could be a replacement for our heavy, and somewhat obsolete, Canon gear. I frankly didn't expect the FZ200 to be as good as our Canon gear. Instead, my question was "is it good enough" for us to continue to be competitive in photo competitions. To my pleasant surprise, my initial reaction is yes.
We live in Florida a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We went to the beach today and took along one of our Canon 40Ds and the FZ200. We shot the same thing under similar conditions. The Canon shot only RAW and the FZ shot BOTH taw and jpeg. I haven't figured out how to use the Panasonic RAW software yet, so we ended up comparing Canon raw with FZ high quality jpegs.
When viewed "right out of the camera" on my 27" color calibrated iMac, the images look virtually identical. Needless to say, I am very impressed.
The FZ has a lot of special features and functions I haven't looked at yet, and maybe never will since I am so conversant in Photoshop I really don't need the camera to add saturation, convert to B&W, etc. I am totally unfamiliar with digital video, so it will be a while (if ever), before I get around to checking it out on the FZ.
The camera isn't perfect. Here are several things I'm not too fond of.
* The menu system is quite complex and various buttons and wheels access different parts of it. Tip: Put the camera in Manual (M) before going to the menu system. This is the only setting that shows ALL the possible menu settings according to Panasonic tech support.
* The user manual on the CD seems to be for a different camera than the FZ200. Either that or, the final version of the camera doesn't match an earlier version of the documentation.
* Worse of all, it takes 45 arrow and/or button clicks to perform the "Format card" function in the camera. (I counted them.) I talked to two different Panasonic tech support people to see if there was an easier way. They both confirmed that there wasn't. You won't find it in your user manual, so here is how to format your SD card.
* Set the mode to manual. Then click the "Menu/Set" button in the center of the arrow keys. Then hit the left arrow key to select the camera icon.
* The click the down arrow key two times to get the the settings (looks like a wrench.)
* Then click the right arrow key to go "Clock Set." Notice that the top right corner shows that you are on page one of 8 setting page. Format is on page 7. Unfortunately, you cannot access the page numbers and right click to advance to the next page.
Instead you have to click the down arrow and scroll, completely through each page to advance to the next page. It takes 43 down arrow clicks to get to format. (I counted them.) BE CAREFUL. Be sure to hit the right arrow key when you reach format. I hit the "menu/Set" button and had to start all over again.
Formatting an SD card is a real pain, but that is really the only fault I can find so far with this camera. Hopefully, Panasonic will fix this is an firmware upgrade-especially as they tell you in their manual not to format the card in your computer but instead do it in the camera. This is good advise, but a nuisance to do.
To end on a positive note, I'm going to continue to play around with this camera, but I feel I have already proven to myself that this camera is fully able to replace our Canon 40Ds for our intended use. Try it. I think you will like it too. (I don't work for Panasonic or Amazon.)
151 of 156 people found the following review helpful
By F3
Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this camera with a little hesitation and skepticism. Could it really take decent pictures with that kind of zoom range and f-stop? Admittedly, I am a tough sell since I usually shoot Canon DSLRs with their L-series lenses, and was looking for a light backpacking/walk around camera for times when I didn't want to carry so much bulk and weight.
This weekend I shot hundreds of pics indoors and out, from bright sun to no-flash museum settings. All images were shot in camera RAW and in Program mode, but I let the camera makes its own choices about shutter speed and limited the ISO to a max of 400 (the ability to set a max ISO is a nice feature). I processed all of the images with the "Silkypix" software that comes with the camera (which is a surprisingly capable program).
The images were, in short, far better than just good. Some were truly remarkable. In the museum where no flash was allowed, I was able to shoot great macros in low light, then a full-room shot at wide angle, then immediately zoom to 600 mm and grab a shot of something sitting on a desk across the room, all handheld. Outdoors, in bright sun, I was blown away by the crispness of the images at full zoom. And having such a wide range of focal lengths gave me the equivalent of carrying a whole bag of "big" gear.
One question that has come up on this board is the camera's low light capability. I would give it a plus/minus here. Once you get past about ISO 400, noise does start being noticeable in the RAW files. By comparison to a more expensive DSLR (e.g. a Canon 7D) the noise becomes quite noticeable at ISO 800, but it is very smooth and could be dealt with via software, I have no doubt. This is an area where someone will have to judge for themselves what amount of noise is "too much" at a given ISO. For me, if I knew I was going to do a lot of shooting of moving subjects in low light, this camera might not be the best choice. (Note that if the low-light shooting is of still scenes, the camera performs beautifully.) Given the camera's other remarkable capabilities, I don't think it is much of an issue generally.
I haven't played with the video at all yet.
Yes, I have a few minor gripes, but they are minor indeed. There is only a little "basic function" printed manual -- the full manual comes on a CD as a PDF file. Having the PDF is great if you need to quickly find a reference, but a printed manual should also come with the camera. For mine, the manual does match the camera, at least as far as I have found. I did not format the memory card, just threw one in from another Canon camera, and the Lumix was perfectly happy. It created its own directory and there have been no issues whatsoever doing it that way. You can quickly get to the format function if you cursor up to page 8 from page 1, rather than going through all the other pages. The menu system is a little complex in some areas and I sometimes find it hard to remember where different functions are buried, but most of those are things you set once and forget about, at least the way I shoot. Build quality is a little plasticky, something you notice if you have mostly owned metal-bodied cameras and lenses, but hopefully the camera will be tough enough to survive some backpacking and such. A nice lens hood is included with the camera, and it will accept 52mm filters.
All in all, I am really amazed at this little camera with the huge lens. For my shooting needs - an easy five stars!
FOLLOWUP: Just returned from a week-long hiking trip into southern Utah canyonlands and wanted to report that this camera performed exactly as I had hoped. It was very light and far easier to deal with than my Canon DSLR with a couple of L-series lenses. Although I usually shoot RAW, I even shot some straight JPGs and the results were quite good. Still a two-thumbs up choice, from my perspective.
This weekend I shot hundreds of pics indoors and out, from bright sun to no-flash museum settings. All images were shot in camera RAW and in Program mode, but I let the camera makes its own choices about shutter speed and limited the ISO to a max of 400 (the ability to set a max ISO is a nice feature). I processed all of the images with the "Silkypix" software that comes with the camera (which is a surprisingly capable program).
The images were, in short, far better than just good. Some were truly remarkable. In the museum where no flash was allowed, I was able to shoot great macros in low light, then a full-room shot at wide angle, then immediately zoom to 600 mm and grab a shot of something sitting on a desk across the room, all handheld. Outdoors, in bright sun, I was blown away by the crispness of the images at full zoom. And having such a wide range of focal lengths gave me the equivalent of carrying a whole bag of "big" gear.
One question that has come up on this board is the camera's low light capability. I would give it a plus/minus here. Once you get past about ISO 400, noise does start being noticeable in the RAW files. By comparison to a more expensive DSLR (e.g. a Canon 7D) the noise becomes quite noticeable at ISO 800, but it is very smooth and could be dealt with via software, I have no doubt. This is an area where someone will have to judge for themselves what amount of noise is "too much" at a given ISO. For me, if I knew I was going to do a lot of shooting of moving subjects in low light, this camera might not be the best choice. (Note that if the low-light shooting is of still scenes, the camera performs beautifully.) Given the camera's other remarkable capabilities, I don't think it is much of an issue generally.
I haven't played with the video at all yet.
Yes, I have a few minor gripes, but they are minor indeed. There is only a little "basic function" printed manual -- the full manual comes on a CD as a PDF file. Having the PDF is great if you need to quickly find a reference, but a printed manual should also come with the camera. For mine, the manual does match the camera, at least as far as I have found. I did not format the memory card, just threw one in from another Canon camera, and the Lumix was perfectly happy. It created its own directory and there have been no issues whatsoever doing it that way. You can quickly get to the format function if you cursor up to page 8 from page 1, rather than going through all the other pages. The menu system is a little complex in some areas and I sometimes find it hard to remember where different functions are buried, but most of those are things you set once and forget about, at least the way I shoot. Build quality is a little plasticky, something you notice if you have mostly owned metal-bodied cameras and lenses, but hopefully the camera will be tough enough to survive some backpacking and such. A nice lens hood is included with the camera, and it will accept 52mm filters.
All in all, I am really amazed at this little camera with the huge lens. For my shooting needs - an easy five stars!
FOLLOWUP: Just returned from a week-long hiking trip into southern Utah canyonlands and wanted to report that this camera performed exactly as I had hoped. It was very light and far easier to deal with than my Canon DSLR with a couple of L-series lenses. Although I usually shoot RAW, I even shot some straight JPGs and the results were quite good. Still a two-thumbs up choice, from my perspective.
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